Life as seen through the eyes of a frum Reform Jewish rabbi changing the world one Jew at a time

The Spoken Unspoken Rule

Monday, 25 May 2009

I am a very timid eater. Unlike other family members (included one by marriage. MY marriage!), I do not derive any amount of pleasure from new culinary experiences. Heck, I barely derive pleasure from known culinary experiences. I like what I like. And what I don’t like, I don’t like. And the undiscovered…frightens me.

Back in the day, when visiting a Chinese restaurant en masse, it was customary to order family style. A dish from Column A, one from Column B, and so on. Or so I am told.

That was never the practice in my family-of-origin. It was every man for himself. Which allowed everyone to order to his/her own taste.

However, it seems that there exists a stigma surrounding those who, for whatever reason, choose not to share menu selections with fellow diners. A stigma so entrenched that it compels some to hurl sugar-coated, snide comments at the anti-sharing perpetrator. Throughout the entire meal.

I used to get freaked out eating in public, but now I’m not, I am happy to share off of my plate, yet rarely eat off of others (unless I know the dish). My husband tells me I’m picky, I tell him he can eat alone, he likes my company and life goes on.

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